“Where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.” John 19:18
Often people argue there should not be a focus on Christ and Him crucified, but the greater focus should be on His resurrection. Paul Rees, in his beautiful book, The Radiant Cross, writes, “…drop the cross from those teachings and you have drained the blood from the Christian message. What we have left is a doctrinal system, but not a dynamic salvation.” Calvary stands as the point of reference. On the cross is where sin is forgiven, hope is restored and rest is established. The significance of the cross and its centrality to our faith remains that it is the great revealer of God’s supply for Man’s need. The cross rests as the place where our Lord completes the work of the Father. For He Himself said. “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” Again on the cross He said, “…it is finished.”
At Calvary we see the severity of God’s love, through the sacrifice of God’s Son, for the Salvation of God’s world. We must understand the resurrection is only desirable if sin has been forgiven. We are told in Acts 24,“…there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.” All shall continue forever, but not all shall continue in life. For Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” In order for Christ to fulfill these words, sin has to be judged once and for all. This truth brings us back to the cross where the crucifixion of our Lord brings forth the treasure of His resurrection. “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the World.” Life dies to death that we might live in Him who is our resurrection. May the cross become our “magnificent obsession.” May we understand it is our door to life. It is the door of hope.
The Need For A Center Part 3
“Where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.” John 19:18
It now becomes clear that the primary work of Jesus on the cross was not to save us from retribution, but to bring us into a relationship with the Father by the restoration of His character in us. What is required of us as people to receive the free gift of grace? May I be so bold as to say, it will cost you your life. George MacDonald put it simply when he said, “You will be dead as long as you refuse to die.” It is the good death! Paul writes in chapter six of Romans, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” Jessie Penn-Lewis explains in her book, The Centrality of the Cross, we as believers cannot conquer sin, but we can die to it. She continues to write, “Here is the cross in its aspect of death of the sinner with the Savior. It is clear from this that Christ’s cross is the sinners’ cross.”
The nature of the crucified life draws us into the heart of the Father, through the life of the Son, by the power of His Spirit working in us. Consider having a failing heart and being on a waiting list to receive a new one. The call comes in. A new heart is available. For Free. It will save your life. What must you do? Simply give up your old heart. Have you surrendered to the great physician of your soul? The exchange occurs at Calvary, our illness for His wellness. Let us turn back to our center, our source, our dwelling place, our life, our love, our Lord Jesus. Thank you Lord, for the cross.